News has emerged that the 2013 Chevrolet Cruze will be available as a diesel engine option for the North American market, with sales expected to begin sometime in 2012. GM Inside News sources at the Lordstown, Ohio assembly, where the Chevy Cruze is produced, are said to have confirmed they will start building a diesel model for the 2013 model year. The Chevrolet Cruze is a popular car that is sold in over 60 countries worldwide in gasoline and diesel engine models and was just recently launched in the North America market. With Americans becoming more interested in fuel efficiency and smaller sized cars, the diesel powered Cruze could be a step in the right direction.

The engine that might be used in North America will be a modified version of the General Motors corporate 2.0-liter turbodiesel. It is already available in Cruze models sold in Europe and, as the Holden Cruze, in Australia, among other markets.

What can we expect in the U.S.? We do know that in Australia, the 2.0-liter common-rail turbodiesel engine is rated at 148 horsepower (110 kW) and a strong 236 foot-pounds (320 Newton-meters) of torque. It is offered with a five-speed manual gearbox or a six-speed automatic transmission.

In the U.K., the Chevrolet Cruze 2.0 VCDi model with the same engine delivered 42.0 miles per gallon (50.4 miles per Imperial gallon) on the European test cycle. It cost £17,325 (roughly $28,250 including tax) as tested by Autocar magazine in September 2009.

While diesel engines are more efficient and deliver better MPG figures than gasoline engines of the same power, they do not represent a large portion of the U.S. passenger vehicle market.

Would you buy a Cruze diesel? What fuel mileage would it have to deliver, and at what sticker price? (Please be realistic: “60 mpg for $12,000″ is not realistic.)

Leave us your thoughts in the Comments below.

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2 Responses to 2013 Chevrolet Cruze Goes Diesel for North America

I think a realistic expectation of MPGs and cost would be comparable to the Jetta TDi. The TDi claims 42mpg highway and cost in the ballpark of $24-$26k. I have had a TDi for 2.5 years now and like it quite a bit, and know that it gets much higher than the advertised mileage once the engine is broken in. When the snow tires are off, 46mpg seems to be the norm. If I keep the speed under 55mph, I can get into the low 50 mpg range. Best tank 52mpg.

However, I would love to support an American car manufacturer, and would fully welcome a GM at my house if they get a diesel in it!

Clean diesel is slowly turning heads here in the U.S., but it is fighting an uphill battle against people who associate diesel powered cars with the chattering diesel Mercedes of the 80′s and stinky heavy duty pickup trucks that are diesel powered.

Advocates have always questioned, “why not combine the high mileage and torque of a diesel with the clean technology of a hybrid and/or EV?” Volvo announced yesterday that they will offer the new 2012 V60 sedan as a Plug-in hybrid with a diesel motor. Is that cool or what?